Love Letter: Different Skins, Different Rules, All Fun

Check it out! Love Letter has some pretty nifty packaging if you ask me! So, clearly, today we'll being talking about the game Love Letter; more specifically, I'll be discussing the reason I love it - differences. Unlike Monopoly, Life, Operation, and a slew of other games that have been re-skinned (i.e. your fave characters are put on the box and board) this game changes more than just the pieces. While some others hold exactly true to the original, Love Letter has variations that are slight, but work so well thematically, that you can't help but love them for it!

Now, original Love Letter is all about wooing the Princess, which is all fine and dandy ... unless of course you don't care. So let's take a look at some other skins, shall we?

Hobbit Love Letter brings in all your favorite, or maybe least favorite, characters and, instead of a princess, you are trying to protect the Arkenstone, hence why you immediately lose if you are forced to discard it, you saddle-goose!

Additionally, the precious One Ring is also an important card in this set, as it's value is typically zero, but it becomes 7 when force to compare, making it more powerful than initially meets the eye. Fitting, no?

Though nothing incredibly interesting changes in this game, it's a well-done skinning that definitely does more than just putting Orlando Bloom's picture on a card. (Not that we're complaining about that.)

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Got some pretty sick cards here!

Now, Archer Love Letter is a little more fun for a number of reasons.

For one, there is a hidden role card in the center of the table, giving players not only a little bit more randomness/unknowns in their game, but also additionally choices (see card 4 rules) and additionally ways to win (see card 2 rules).

This hidden role also allows there to be a little additional chaos (see card 7 rule), in true Archer fashion, making it another excellent point in keeping with theme.

My favorite part of this game though, is the win tokens. Even if you're not a fan of the series, you have to appreciate earning little dolphin hand puppet tokens with each round win!

Finally on our list for today, Adventure Time Love Letter. Equipped with some very pretty and colorful win gems, Adventure Time Love Letter is not only fun to play, but pleasing to look at.

Similar to the original, you are trying to protect the princess - so don't let her go!

Overall, this version is pretty simple and nothing extra-special. BUT WAIT! What I like about this game is not only the fact that you and your friends can entertain yourself by imitating cartoon voices as you play, but also the extra special way to win. If you play a hero (5) - who is either Finn or Jake, and the opponent you force to discard (see rule for card 5) discards the other then you automatically win because you have brought the dynamic duo together! It's simple, but it's ultra adorable, and I definitely appreciate the cuteness.

So there you have a few versions of Love Letter! These are the ones I own, and the ones that I like the best. But if none of those strike your particular fancy, there are plenty more! Premium (with tarot-sized cards), Lovecraft (aka horror twist), Wedding, Batman, Letters to Santa, Star Wars, and even Munchkin have all taken on this game. So go out, try one (or all) of them, and enjoy!

Happy gaming, friends!

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